The cuts affected wrestlers, prospects, and a referee across several WWE programs.
Summary
– WWE reportedly released 10 people from its developmental system on September 4
– The departures affected NXT, WWE Evolve, LFG, and the Performance Center
– No main roster releases were expected as part of this round
WWE reportedly released 10 people from its developmental system on September 4, 2026, affecting talent connected to NXT, WWE Evolve, LFG, and the Performance Center.
The reported departures were Jasper Troy, PJ Vasa, Wendy Choo, Adriana Rizzo, Zena Sterling, Braxton Cole, Anya Rune, Marcus Brown, Ellen Akesson, and referee Gary Wilson.
Jasper Troy was the first departure reported. The former WWE Speed Champion signed with the company in 2022, won the first season of WWE LFG, and later appeared on NXT.
Troy’s final televised NXT match took place against Dion Lennox on June 9. Before his release became public, he posted messages about continuing his wrestling journey and pinned a cryptic 30 Days message to his social media profile.
PJ Vasa confirmed her departure and thanked WWE for introducing her to professional wrestling. The former rugby player appeared on LFG before receiving additional opportunities with WWE Evolve.
Wendy Choo was one of the most experienced wrestlers released. She previously performed as Mei Ying before adopting the Wendy Choo character and challenging Mandy Rose for the NXT Women’s Championship.
Choo later moved into a darker character and became part of WWE Evolve. She won the Evolve Women’s Championship in April 2026 before losing it to Nikkita Lyons on June 24.
Adriana Rizzo became known as Big Rizz during her time with The D’Angelo Family. She returned from a serious knee injury shortly before WWE reportedly ended her contract.
Zena Sterling and Braxton Cole were both developing through the Performance Center, LFG, and WWE Evolve. Cole also challenged for the Evolve Championship during a three-way match against Harlem Lewis and Aaron Rourke.
Anya Rune joined WWE following the company’s February 2026 tryouts. She began wrestling on Evolve but was released less than a year after entering the developmental system.
Marcus Brown and Ellen Akesson were also early in their WWE careers. Brown entered with a bodybuilding background, while Akesson brought experience from powerlifting and competitive arm wrestling.
Gary Wilson, whose real name is Edwin Franken, worked as a referee throughout WWE’s developmental system. His reported release showed that the cuts extended beyond active wrestlers.
The departures included established performers, developing prospects, and support personnel. No main roster talent was expected to be included, but additional developmental releases had not been ruled out when the first reports emerged.
